on this sunday night, the manhunt intensifies. for a former los angeles police officer suspected in the revenge killings of three people. tonight, authorities offer a $1 million reward for information leading to christopher dorner's capture, as a city and region remain on edge. the blizzard of 2013. the northeast digs out from a deadly record-breaking storm, but hundreds of thousands are still without power. and for some, a state of emergency will last for days. the outbreak of a dangerous and potentially fatal infectious disease. why whooping cough is back, and how to protect your family against it.

and the show must go on for a top dog whose owner suffered in hurricane sandy. tonight as he prepares to compete, how chauncey became a symbol of hope. from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news with lester holt." good evening. tonight authorities in california are raising the stakes in their hunt for a former los angeles policeman wanted in three murders. announcing a huge reward leading to his arrest. the killings began a week ago today when two people were gunned down in a parking lot. what police say were revenge killings carried out by a disgraced ex-cop. but in a surprising turn of events, police now say they will investigate fugitive christopher dorner's claim that he was wrongfully fired from the lapd, even as they vow to capture him.

nbc's miguel almaguer is outside police headquarters in los angeles with the latest on the manhunt. miguel? >> reporter: lester, good evening. it's the largest reward ever offered locally. a million dollars for information that leads to the conviction of accused cop killer christopher dorner. police growing more desperate for leads as nbc news has obtained surveillance video of what is said to be the suspect. law enforcement sources say this is christopher dorner, dumping a gun belt, a helmet, an lapd uniform, and ammunition the morning after his first two murders. the surveillance video captured across the street from a san diego police station. >> the helmet was standing right up top. and the magazine and the belt was hidden under the boxes. >> reporter: the former cop now fugitive accused of killing three and wounding two others was fired from the lapd after making false complaints about his training officer. but now the los angeles police chief says a week after the

killing spree began, he'll reopen dorner's case. >> people think that maybe there is something to what he says, and i want to put that to rest. the only way i know how to put that to rest is to review what has already been reviewed at multiple levels. >> reporter: retired police chief bill bratton ran the force when dorner was fired in 2008. >> determination would definitely be just. it's a very comprehensive process the department goes through. you don't just fire somebody without significant evidence or information. >> reporter: having eluded one of the largest manhunts in state history, the search for dorner in the mountains is in its fourth day with investigators now saying they've discovered a cashe of weapons and camping gear in his broken down truck. this as the tsa issued an emergency bulletin to airports warning he may have flight training. last night, a moment of silence for monica kwan, killed last

sunday. police sources say in the days following kwan's murder, a man claiming to be dorner called her father, a former lapd captain, to taunt him saying he failed to protect his daughter. >> this is pouring salt into an open wound of this captain who has lost his daughter, and now being punished and repunished just like christopher dorner feels he was punished. >> reporter: tonight, the lapd has deployed an army of officers to protect some 50 families they say are under threat by the suspect. we should also add that we are learning more information about the officer that was killed last week. michael crain survived two deployments to iraq. he is survived by his wife and two young children. lester? >> miguel almaguer in los angeles tonight. thanks. here in the northeast, lots of digging out still going on after that blizzard dumped three feet of snow or more on some areas.

and it's very much a case of the haves and have notes. most have power back, almost 300,000 homes and businesses still don't have it. public transportation is back in many areas. others still suspended. nbc's ron mott is following all this from boston. ron, good evening. >> reporter: hey, lester, good evening to you. the big dig is taking on a little different meaning in boston tonight, what with nearly 25 inches of snow on the ground. getting things going again is easier said than done but we can report forward progress is under way. it was a snow-stopper of a storm. more than 25 hours after the last flake setted, people are anxious to get going, however long it takes. across new england, boston's south station to hartford, connecticut, it was it was all about moving on. >> we've been trying to get on pla planes, trains and automobiles for several days. >> reporter: flights were back on the boards.

so some even highlighting on-time departures. damages continue to mount around the region, perhaps delaying a quick return to normal. large parts of the long island expressway remained closed as plows opened escape routes for hundreds of stranded cars. nearby heavy snow was blamed for a roof collapse at a bowling alley. today the president declared a federal emergency in hard-hit connecticut. in short, the blizzard's impact was significant and tragic. at least 12 deaths reported, including two carbon monoxide poisonings. 635,000 customers lost power. more than 5,000 flights grounded. mass transit stopped in its tracks. and cleaning up the mess for some has turned more personal than preferred. my colleague ron allen. >> this is meridan, connecticut. they got tired of waiting for the snowplow on this street, so the neighbors have taken care of business by themselves.

>> reporter: power crews traveled great distances, from michigan, ohio, and tennessee to lend a hand in rhode island. still restoring power and removing such massive amounts of snow takes time. hamden, connecticut. 40 inches. portland, maine, a record of nearly 32. 27.6 in west gloucester, rhode island. boston, nearly 25. for thomas in massachusetts, the sea, not the snow, was the menace. this was the deck of his house being bruised and battered yesterday. today he was trying to piece it back together while keeping it all in perspective. >> it's wonderful. the sunrise in the morning, big waves. but every once in a while, you get hit. >> reporter: tonight, connecticut's governor tweeted a stay home message for a lot of state workers for tomorrow. a lot of colleges and universities and schools in connecticut will be closed on monday. and here in boston, boston public schools also will be shut tomorrow. >> there is more severe weather to worry about tomorrow. let's check in on that with

weather channel meteorologist eric fisher. he is also in boston for us. eric? >> reporter: lester, good evening. developing situation right now. the weather patterns certainly not quieting down here throughout the weekend. on the north side, blizzard warnings. across the upper midwest. a couple of interstates are shut down across north dakota, south dakota, and minnesota. so very wintery on the north end. quite severe on the southern end. we have a confirmed large wedge tornado on the ground right now just outside of hattiesburg, mississippi. we can show you a still image of that tornado. extremely dangerous. there are several tornado warnings out right now. and that severe threat goes through the evening across the gulf coast states, so folks really need a way to get their warnings, be vigilant about the weather. that is a life-threatening situation across the south. anywhere from mississippi over toward georgia and the florida panhandle. then, both of those come together and move toward the northeast tomorrow. that's going to bring a wintery mix back to some of these areas that are recovering from our winter storm. it will start as sleet, snow,

and freezing rain. changing over to rain. a lot of this snow pack will absorb that, so roofs collapsing will be a threat. hopefully folks clear those roofs off during the nice weather today. lester, back to you. on tuesday night, president obama will deliver the first state of union address of his second term. and despite all the attention that gun violence and immigration have been getting in recent weeks, the economy will be the president's major theme. we have more on this tonight from nbc white house correspondent peter alexander. hi, peter. >> reporter: hi, lester. good evening to you. unlike his inaugural address last month, senior advisers to the president say that his state of the union address will be more specific, more policy and agenda-oriented as the president charts out his from posed course for the next year. heading into his fifth annual address before congress tuesday night, senior administration officials say mr. obama will focus on jobs and the economy, echoing familiar themes about strengthening the nation's

middle class. >> our economy grows when everybody's getting a fair shot and getting a fair shake. >> reporter: the president will emphasize the value of spending on education to give americans the skills they need. infrastructure, like roads. research, including clean energy technology. and manufacturing. >> the inauguration was more about the underdog. this is about people that have already made it, but the american dream is fading and he's got their backs. >> reporter: adding to the urgency of tuesday's speech, the looming sequester deadline set for march 1st when $85 billion in across the board cuts are set to take effect. >> we can't have any more self-inflicted wounds on this economy. the economy is poised to take off, if we do the right things. >> reporter: the president warning those cuts could cause a huge blow to the economy. but republicans firmly oppose more tax revenue as a solution. >> the problem is, david, every time you turn around, the answer is to raise taxes. and, you know, he just got his tax hike on the wealthy. and you can't in this town every three months raise taxes.

>> reporter: while some of the president's most prominent items fell well below the economy in budget deficit among top concerns, mr. obama is prepared to cast them in economic terms as well, citing the benefitof attracting the world's best minds. the president's tone will matter, tomatter t, too. >> he can continue the approach he's taken, cl which is very mu an outside game. turn up the heat. or he can go to a more conciliatory tone. >> reporter: he has three stops after the speech, asheville, north carolina. atlanta, georgia. winding down in his hometown of chicago. >> all right, peter. we want to remind everyone, nbc news will have live coverage of the state of union address on tuesday at 9:00 eastern. gunfire erupted on enormous'

famed bourbon street overnight, wounding four people and sending mardi gras revelers running for cover. police said the shooting followed an argument. two men and two women were hit. one of those injured is in guarded condition. the shooter still at large. new orleans has for years suffered an epidemic of gun violence, earning it the distinction of being the nation's murder capital. it, however, is not taking it lying down. tonight nbc news kicks off a special week-long look at gun violence and gun ownership called "flashpoint guns" and we begin in new orleans with how they are trying to unravel a culture of violence. >> install the unit to franklin. looks like a maroon vehicle. >> a cool damp night is a good night for new orleans police commander christopher goodley. it keeps things quiet. a welcome breather for a city racked by a chronically high murder rate. >> we have a homicide rate that

is unnatural. >> new orleans saw 193 murders last year. its per capita rate of homicides nearly three times that of chicago. most of the victims, young african-american men shot to death. single mother of three and community outreach coordinator katherine hutton speaks for many in this community. >> like lord, what is it going to take? when are they going stop it? >> the national focus on gun violence is applauded here, but the majority of the killing in new orleans is by handguns. is this gun conversation going on in washington too narrow? >> yes. the answer is yes. it is absolutely too narrow. and it's too simplistic. as though if you just ban assault weapons, somehow the murder rate in the country is going to go down automatically. it will not. >> mayor landrieu wants more than tougher gun laws. he wants the feds to help him put more cops on his streets. in the meantime, new orleans has gone after gun violence with a velvet hammer, identifying the

specific individuals and groups that seem to feed violent crime and delivering a face-to-face message. >> we know you. we know where you are, and what you're doing is unacceptable. and now we're going to have a response to you that's robust and where consequences really matter. >> the consequences, if a murder occurred, the weight of law enforcement and the courts would swing down on not just the perpetrators, but an entire group. the concept developed by criminologist david kennedy also offers a way out of crime. >> we know who you are. we know what you're doing. we care about you. we want to help you. but we're not going to put up with this anymore. >> they call the approach nola for life, offering education programs aimed at giving offenders a chance to change. >> our message in group violence is this -- you're important, too. even if you're out here hurting people, you're still important. >> new orleans is also extending a safety net to those deemed at risk, including katherine

hutton's oldest son, who meets with a mentor through the youth empowerment project. >> to have a model set the tone for how things are supposed to be done in their lives is like okay, you know, this is what it's supposed to be. >> so far, murders in new orleans are down by half this month. a good sign, but not victory. >> one homicide is one too many, but hopefully, we're in the right direction with reducing this rate. >> our special weeklong series "flashpoint: guns in america" includes an interactive interactive snapshot on nbcnews.com of all the gun deaths across the country over a three-day period last month, where and how they took place. overseas, a changing of the guard today in afghanistan, a new commander of nato and u.s. forces took over. marine general joseph dunford

succeeded john allen who has been in command the last 18 months. president obama has nominated allen to be the supreme allied commander in europe. the u.s. and its allies plan to hand over security to afghan forces at the end of next year. when "nbc nightly news" continues on this sunday, new information about a potentially deadly disease that's made a big comeback. and later, why they're all rooting for this big guy as a top contender for best in show. . transitions® lenses automatically filter just the right amount of light. so you see everything the way it's meant to be seen. maybe even a little better. visit your eyecare professional today to ask about our newest lenses, transitions vantage and transitions xtractive lenses. experience life well lit. ask which transitions adaptive lens is best for you.

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test. test. we're back with health news, and concern about a growing outbreak of whooping cough. it's a bacterial infection that can be fatal to very young children, while it was almost gone at one time, cases are now on the rise. nbc's chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman has more on this

tonight. >> reporter: 2012 was america's worst year for whooping cough in more than six decades. >> there's a tremendous outbreak of whooping cough across the united states right now. >> reporter: as scientists try to figure out how to better prevent infection, they're also looking at a new strain recently discovered here in the united states that may not be protected by today's vaccine. the first vaccine became available in the 1940s, sparking a dramatic drop in cases that continued for decades. but it had some side effects, including the risk of brain danger. so in 1991, a safer, but slightly less effective series of shots was introduced. since then, cases have shot up. more than 1,400%, from fewer than 3,000 cases in 1991 to more than 40,000 last year. while scientists say the new strain is responsible for some cases, recent outbreaks are mainly due to the vaccine wearing off over time which leaves people less protected. the decline occurs even in those who got the original and more

potent whooping cough vaccine. now doctors are still measuring the staying power of the new vaccine, which they say fades much faster, though it's unclear just how fast. the cdc recently changed its guidelines to include whooping cough booster shots for pregnant women. it now recommends one during every pregnancy, in order to give babies who are among the most vulnerable protection at birth. >> by vaccinating mother, the mother will then pass her immunity to the baby, and when the baby is born, that baby will have protection. >> reporter: as researchers try to improve protection against highly contagious diseases, they say the best thing people can do is remain up-to-date with immunizations and get those booster shots. dr. nancy snyderman, nbc news, new york. when we come back, we'll go to a game that put the over in overtime. here's one you may not have thought of -- fidelity. now you don't have to go to a bank to get the things you want from a bank, like no-fee atms,

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the scene in south bend, indiana, last night as louisville tried to tie it up one more time with notre dame.

for the ie rirish, it was a vic like no other, coming at the end of five overtimes, making it the longest regular season game in big east history. the final score was 104-101, three hours and 40 minutes after it began. a milestone of another kind announced this weekend on mars. the mars rover curiosity did something that had never been done before. it drilled a hole into the rocky surface of the planet and is now collecting the powdered results for analysis. it's an area that shows signs if it was once under water, could potentially reveal evidence that life once existed on mars. back on this planet, new rankings out this weekend, the most expensive cities in the world. the index, tokyo, osaka japan had first and second, followed by sydney, australia in third place. as for american cities, you have to go to number 27 on the list to find them, los angeles and new york city tied for that spot. although it's kind of hard to

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some of the owners, their dogs this year is all about perseverance, after many lived through the devastation of hurricane sandy. tonight michelle franzen with the inspiring story of a dog named chauncey whose fans think he deserves best in show. >> don't do it. don't do it! >> reporter: it's play time at denise and scott's jersey shore home. their dog chauncey, that signature mopey mane blends in with the show. he proved to be a bright spot for the couple when superstorm sandy tore through their home. >> the water was coming through the walls, which was a sight to behold. it was a little frightening. the water was up to here. >> reporter: they are still repairing the damage, but this week the focus is on chauncey as he gets ready to compete in the westminster dog show. >> if you can win best in breed at westminster, that's everybody's goal. >> reporter: this 140-pound-plus show dog is used to being in the spotlight.

competing in shows and is even something of a local celebrity. >> they're all cheering for their jersey shore dog after he went through superstorm sandy. >> reporter: cheering him on in new york city where he will face plenty of competition. in all, more than 2,000 dogs big and small competing for best in breed and best in show, but first a lot of grooming goes on for dogs like ted ted to make sure he's ready for his close-up. the show's chairman says he is aware several dogs and owners who endured sandy will be competing, information the judges don't have ahead of time. >> dogs survive and yet still come to westminster. it's exciting for them and exciting for us, too. >> reporter: back home, denise and scott get chauncey ready for his big day and their chance to get away from the overwhelming demands of sandy. >> i love going to dog shows because it takes you to a little magical place for just that day when you don't think about the trees on your property, you don't think about the leaking roof of your house, you don't think about any of that. >> reporter: